The Systems Behind Managing High-Performing Remote Teams with Jon Seager

Nerding Out With Viktor

In this episode of Nerding Out with Viktor, host Viktor Petersson welcomes back Jon Seager, VP of Engineering at Canonical, for a candid conversation about managing remote teams. They explore how Canonical structures its fully distributed engineering org, why hybrid meetings rarely work, and how to build systems that support clarity, autonomy, and actual output. With Jon's experience scaling teams at Canonical and Viktor's 15+ years of running distributed organizations, this episode offers a clear, practical view of what makes remote teams succeed. Topics include performance frameworks, calendar ownership, documentation debt, onboarding traps, and hiring in the age of AI. This is a must-listen for engineering leaders, remote managers, and anyone serious about scaling remote teams.